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TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1983
THE MAN HAD COME TO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY PREVIOUSLY AND HAD BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED FOR POSSESSION OF A FORGED IDENTITY CARD.
HE WAS JAILED FOR SIX MONTHS AND WAS REPATRIATED TO CHINA AFTER SERVING HIS JAIL TERM.
HOWEVER, HE SNEAKED BACK INTO HONG KONG AGAIN LATE LAST YEAR AND WAS AGAIN ARRESTED. THIS TIME HE DID NOT HAVE A FORGED IDENTITY CARD ON HIM.
AFTER TAKING THESE AND OTHER FACTORS INTO CONSIDERATION, IT WAS DECIDED THAT HE SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR REMAINING IN HONG KONG ILLEGALLY.
IN PASSING SENTENCE, THE MAGISTRATE TOLD THE DEFENDANT THAT HE HAD BEEN WARNED NOT TO RETURN TO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY.
THE FACT THAT HE WAS HERE AGAIN SHOWED THAT HE HAD DISREGARDED THE WARNING AND SHOULD RECEIVE A LONG JAIL SENTENCE, HE SAID.
COMMENTING ON THIS AND THE OTHER CASES, MR LEUNG SAID THEY SHOULD CLEARLY SHOW THAT THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IN HONG KONG.
+THERE IS ALREADY NO WAY FOR THEM TO SETTLE DOWN OR GET A JOB,+ HE SAID.
+AND NOW THE PRICE TO PAY FOR BEING DETECTED COULD BE A LONG JAIL TERM.+
MR LEUNG AGAIN DISPELLED RUMOURS THAT THERE WOULD BE AN AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW IDENTITY CARDS TO RESIDENTS.
+AS HAS BEEN STRESSED MANY TIMES BEFORE. THESE RUMOURS ARE SPREAD BY SNAKEHEADS WHO ARE MERELY TRYING TO CAPITALISE ON THE IGNORANCE OF WOULD-BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO SQUEEZE WHATEVER MONEY THEY CAN OUT OF THEM, HE SAID.
+BUT NOW CHANCES ARE THEY WOULD NOT ONLY LOSE THE IR MONEY. THEY COULD ALSO END UP IN JAIL, HE SAID.
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